Fifth wheel support assembly

Abstract

A fifth wheel hitch support assembly includes a support bracket adapted to pivotally support a fifth wheel hitch plate, a mounting member adapted to be coupled to a vehicle frame rail to create a gap therebetween and above the frame rail, wherein the gap extends longitudinally along the mounting member, and wherein the mounting member includes a plurality of irregularities spaced longitudinally along the length thereof, and an engagement assembly operably coupled to the support bracket wherein the engagement assembly is operable between an engaged position locking the support bracket with respect to the mounting member at a select position along the length of the mounting member, and a disengaged position wherein the engagement assembly does not engage the plurality of irregularities, thereby allowing the support bracket to be slidably repositioned with respect to the support bracket.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fifth wheel hitch support assembly, comprising:
 at least one support bracket adapted to pivotably support a fifth wheel hitch plate; 
 at least one mounting member adapted to be coupled to a vehicle frame rail to create a gap therebetween and above the frame rail, wherein the gap extends longitudinally along the at least one mounting member, and wherein the at least one mounting member includes a plurality of irregularities spaced longitudinally along a length thereof; and 
 
       an engagement assembly operably coupled to the at least one support bracket, wherein a portion of the engagement assembly is slidable within the gap and is operable between an engaged position, wherein the engagement assembly engages at least one of the irregularities, thereby locking the at least one support bracket with respect to the at least one mounting member at a select position along the length of the at least one mounting member, and a disengaged position, wherein the engagement assembly does not engage the plurality of irregularities, thereby allowing the at least one support bracket to be slidably repositioned with respect to the at least one support bracket;
 wherein the plurality of irregularities includes a plurality of apertures; and wherein the at least one mounting member includes an L-shaped angle having a vertically extending leg portion and a horizontally extending leg portion, and wherein the plurality of apertures extend through the vertical leg portion of the L-shaped angle. 
 
     
     
       2. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 at least one guide plate attached to an outboard surface and slidably abutting an outboard surface of the at least one mounting member. 
 
     
     
       3. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one spacer member positioned between the outboard surface of the at least one support member and the at least one guide plate, thereby spacing the at least one support member from the at least one guide plate. 
 
     
     
       4. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide plate is releasably attached to the outboard surface of the at least one mounting member. 
     
     
       5. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 at least one spacer member abutting a downwardly exposed surface of the at least one mounting member and adapted to space the at least one mounting member from the vehicle frame rail to form the gap. 
 
     
     
       6. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mounting member includes an integral stop portion adapted to abut the at least one support bracket, thereby limiting the sliding movement of the at least one support bracket with respect to the at least one mounting member. 
     
     
       7. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 a sensor assembly adapted to sense the position and completeness of the engagement assembly with respect to the plurality of irregularities and provide a signal communicating the position and complete engagement; and 
 a controller adapted to receive the signal from the sensor and provide information to an operator based on the position of the engagement assembly with respect to the plurality of irregularities. 
 
     
     
       8. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement assembly includes stroke depth adjustment assembly that limits a distance from the disengaged position to the engaged position the engagement assembly may travel. 
     
     
       9. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of irregularities are not equally spaced along the length of the at least one mounting member. 
     
     
       10. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the irregularities are located with regards to the at least one mounting member to provide a Ride-height within the range of from about 6 inches to about 12 inches. 
     
     
       11. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the irregularities are located with regards to the at least one mounting member to provide a Ride-height within the range of from about 7 inches to about 10 inches. 
     
     
       12. A fifth wheel hitch support assembly, comprising:
 at least one support bracket adapted to pivotably support a fifth wheel hitch plate; 
 at least one mounting member adapted to be coupled to a vehicle frame rail to create a gap therebetween and above the frame rail, wherein the gap extends longitudinally along the at least one mounting member, and wherein the at least one mounting member includes a plurality of irregularities spaced longitudinally along a length thereof; and 
 
       an engagement assembly operably coupled to the at least one support bracket, wherein a portion of the engagement assembly is slidable within the gap and is operable between an engaged position, wherein the engagement assembly engages as least one of the irregularities, thereby locking the at least one support bracket with respect to the at least one mounting member at a select position along the length of the at least one mounting member, and a disengaged position, wherein the engagement assembly does not engage the plurality of irregularities, thereby allowing the at least one support bracket to be slidably repositioned with respect to the at least one support bracket;
 wherein the engagement assembly includes stroke depth adjustment assembly that limits a distance from the disengaged position to the engaged position the engagement assembly may travel, and wherein the stroke depth adjustment assembly includes an adjustment member that may be selectively positioned to selectively adjust the distant from the disengaged position to the engaged position the engagement assembly may travel. 
 
     
     
       13. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one mounting member includes an L-shaped angle having a vertically extending leg portion and a horizontally extending leg portion. 
     
     
       14. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the vertical leg portion of the L-shaped angle is adapted to be secured to a vertically extending portion of a vehicle frame rail. 
     
     
       15. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of irregularities includes a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
       16. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 15 , wherein engagement assembly includes an engagement member that engages more than one of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
       17. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment member includes a threaded member that abuts the at least one support member when the engagement assembly is in the engaged position. 
     
     
       18. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12  further including:
 at least one spacer member abutting a downwardly exposed surface of the at least one mounting member and adapted to space the at least one mounting member from the vehicle frame rail to form the gap. 
 
     
     
       19. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one mounting member includes an integral stop portion adapted to abut the at least one support bracket, thereby limiting the sliding movement of the at least one support bracket with respect to the at least one mounting member. 
     
     
       20. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , further including:
 a sensor assembly adapted to sense the position and completeness of the engagement assembly with respect to the plurality of irregularities and provide a signal communicating the position and complete engagement; and 
 a controller adapted to receive the signal from the sensor and provide information to an operator based on the position of the engagement assembly with respect to the plurality of irregularities. 
 
     
     
       21. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the engagement assembly includes stroke depth adjustment assembly that limits a distance from the disengaged position to the engaged position the engagement assembly may travel. 
     
     
       22. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of irregularities are not equally spaced along the length of the at least one mounting member. 
     
     
       23. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the irregularities are located with regards to the at least one mounting member to provide a Ride-height within the range of from about 6 inches to about 12 inches. 
     
     
       24. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the irregularities are located with regards to the at least one mounting member to provide a Ride-height within the range of from about 7 inches to about 10 inches. 
     
     
       25. A fifth wheel hitch support assembly, comprising:
 at least one support bracket adapted to pivotably support a fifth wheel hitch plate; 
 at least one L-shaped mounting member that includes a horizontally extending leg portion and a vertically extending leg portion adapted to be coupled to a vehicle frame rail to create a gap between the horizontal leg portion and the frame rail above the frame rail, wherein the gap extends longitudinally along the at least one mounting member, and wherein the at least one mounting member includes a plurality of irregularities extending through the vertical leg portion and spaced longitudinally along a length of the mounting member; 
 at least one guide plate releasably attached to an outboard surface and slidably abutting an outboard surface of the at least one mounting member; and 
 an engagement assembly operably coupled to the at least one support bracket, wherein a portion of the engagement assembly is slidable within the gap and is operable between an engaged position, wherein the engagement assembly engages at least one of the irregularities, thereby locking the at least one support bracket with respect to the at least one mounting member at a select position along the length of the at least one mounting member, and a disengaged position, wherein the engagement assembly does not engage the plurality of irregularities, thereby allowing the at least one support bracket to be slidably repositioned with respect to the at least one mounting member. 
 
     
     
       26. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 at least one spacer member positioned between the outboard surface of the at least one support member and the at least one guide plate, thereby spacing the at least one support member from the at least one guide plate. 
 
     
     
       27. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 25 , further including:
 at least one spacer member abutting a downwardly exposed surface horizontal leg portion of the at least one mounting member and adapted to space the at least one mounting member from the vehicle frame rail to form the gap. 
 
     
     
       28. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 25 , further including:
 a sensor assembly adapted to sense the position and engagement of the engagement assembly with respect to the plurality of irregularities and provide a signal communicating the position and complete engagement; and 
 a controller adapted to receive the signal from the sensor and provide information to an operator based on the position of the engagement assembly with respect to the plurality of irregularities. 
 
     
     
       29. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the engagement assembly includes stroke depth adjustment assembly that includes an adjustment member that may be selectively positioned to selectively adjust the distance from the disengaged position to the engaged position the engagement assembly may travel, and wherein the adjustment member includes a threaded member that abuts the at least one support member when the engagement assembly is in the engaged position. 
     
     
       30. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of apertures are not equally spaced along the length of the at least one mounting member. 
     
     
       31. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the irregularities are located with regards to the at least one mounting member to provide a Ride-height within the range of from about 6 inches to about 12 inches. 
     
     
       32. The fifth wheel hitch support assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the irregularities are located with regards to the at least one mounting member to provide a Ride-height within the range of from about 7 inches to about 10 inches.